Daily International News 12.15.09

December 15, 2009

Daily International News
December 15, 2009

Happy One Week Until Christmas!!

Copenhagen
Russia, U.S. may ink nuclear deal at climate talks [Reuters]
“Russia and the United States may sign an agreement to replace the START nuclear weapons treaty during the Copenhagen climate change summit, a Russian source familiar with the summit plans told Reuters on Tuesday.”

US-China showdown looms over climate talks [AP]
“A showdown between the world’s two largest polluters loomed over the U.N. climate talks Tuesday as China accused the United States and other rich nations of backsliding on their commitments to fight global warming.”

Brown to join climate talks two days early [Reuters]
“Prime Minister Gordon Brown will join climate talks in Copenhagen two days ahead of schedule to try to help overcome obstacles blocking a deal, his spokesman said on Monday.”

DPRK
N. Korea’s security minister visits China: KCNA [Yonhap]
“A delegation led by Ju Sang-song, head of the North’s Ministry of People’s Security, left Pyongyang for China by air…The report did not explain details of the trip, such as the purpose and the length of the visit, or who Ju will meet in China.”

U.S. scientists leave Pyongyang after talks on academic cooperation [Yonhap]
“The six-member delegation from the American Association for Advancement of Science (AAAS), led by Peter Agre, a Nobel laureate in chemistry, had traveled to Pyongyang on a mission to explore future opportunities for collaborative research activities in various fields.”

China
China says Uighur asylum seekers are criminals [AP]
“China on Tuesday warned the United Nations refugee program not to be a “haven for criminals” as it signaled it wanted the return of 22 Muslim Uighurs who fled to Cambodia after deadly ethnic rioting this summer.”

China rejects calls to free dissident Liu Xiaobo [BBC]
“China has rejected calls from the US and the EU to release a prominent dissident as “unacceptable”.”

China, Kazakhstan set to sign nuclear agreement [China Daily]
“The unnamed source with ties to the government said the two countries had originally planned to sign the agreement during President Hu Jintao’s recent visit to the Central Asian country.”

Abbas sticks by terms for talks, rules out violence [Reuters]
“President Mahmoud Abbas said on Tuesday the Palestinians would only resume peace talks if Israel fully halted settlement building in the occupied West Bank, but ruled out any return to violence.”

AfPak
Karzai in anti-graft speech defends convicted mayor [Reuters]
“Afghan President Hamid Karzai used a keynote anti-corruption speech on Tuesday to defend the most senior of his officials to be convicted of graft in years, a move that could anger Western backers who demand more accountability.”

Suicide blast kills 22 in crowded Pakistani market [AP]
“The blast in the Punjabi town of Dera Ghazi Khan was the latest in a series of attacks by Taliban militants avenging an army offensive against insurgents in the northwest. More than 500 people have been killed.”

Domestic
U.S. to announce transfer of detainees to Ill. prison [WP]
“Dozens of terrorism suspects being held at the U.S. naval base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, will be moved to a little-used Illinois state prison that will be acquired and upgraded by the federal government.”